Moderate Palm Toxic to pets

Sago Palm

Cycas revoluta

A living fossil with tough dark green fronds arranged in a symmetrical crown on a stout, scaly trunk.

The essentials at a glance

Watering

Every 10 days
Light

Full sun
Humidity

40–60 %
Temperature

5–35 °C

How to care for your Sago Palm

Everything you need to keep your Sago Palm healthy: watering, light, humidity, feeding, repotting and pruning.

Cycas revoluta is a fascinating primitive plant native to southern Japan, often confused with a palm but actually belonging to the order Cycadales, a plant group over 200 million years old. Its stout, scaly trunk supports a majestic crown of rigid, glossy pinnate fronds. Its growth is extremely slow but it can live over a century. Caution however: all parts of Cycas are highly toxic, particularly to domestic animals.

Watering your Sago Palm

Every 10 days

Water when the substrate is dry in the top 3–4 cm. Cycas is sensitive to overwatering which causes trunk rot. Reduce significantly in winter.

How to know it needs water

Substrate dry 3–4 cm deep
Fronds appearing less rigid
Pot lighter

How much light a Sago Palm needs

Full sun

Bright to full sun. At least 4–6 hours of direct sunlight daily for healthy growth. Can be moved outdoors in summer. Tolerates partial shade but grows very slowly.

Direct sun tolerated: 4 to 8 h a day
Orientations that suit it: South, South-east, South-west, East, West, North-east, North-west

Humidity and misting

40–60 %

Moderate (40–60%). Tolerates some atmospheric dryness but prefers moderate humidity. Mist the foliage occasionally to clean the fronds and maintain adequate humidity, especially indoors.

Feeding and fertiliser

Every 30 days

Fertilize monthly from spring to autumn. Cycas is sensitive to manganese deficiency (yellowing of new fronds). Excess fertilizer is harmful.

Recommended feed: Palm or foliage plant fertilizer with micronutrients, particularly magnesium and manganese. · 8-2-12

Repotting your Sago Palm

Every 36 months

Very slow-growing, repot rarely. Use a heavy, stable pot. Very well-draining substrate: potting soil, sand, perlite, and gravel. Do not plant the trunk deeper than before. Offsets at the base can be separated for propagation.

When: Spring
Potting mix: Cactus and succulent mix
Mix in: perlite, coarse sand, pumice

The tell-tale signs

Roots very compacted in the pot
Trunk taking up too much space relative to the pot
Substrate very degraded

Pruning your Sago Palm

Only to remove brown and dry fronds. Cut dead fronds at the base with clean secateurs. Never cut green fronds even if they are yellowing — they still nourish the plant. Always leave at least one complete row of green fronds.

Through the year

Watering is not set once and for all: it follows the light and the growth. Allow 15 days between waterings in the depth of winter, against 8 in the growing season.

15 J
15 F
12 M
9 A
8 M
8 J
8 J
8 A
9 S
11 O
13 N
15 D

Active growth · Days between waterings

Toxicity

Highly toxic to animals and humans. All parts of the plant contain cycasin, a hepatotoxic toxin. Ingestion, even in small amounts, can be fatal to dogs and cats. Extremely dangerous.

Good to know

Cycas revoluta is not a true palm but a cycad, a group of plants that already existed during the age of dinosaurs over 200 million years ago — it is considered a true living fossil.
Its growth is extremely slow: it typically produces only one crown of new fronds per year, and its trunk grows only a few centimeters per decade.

Frequently asked questions about the Sago Palm

How do you care for a Sago Palm?

Water it every 10 days. Give it full sun. Ideal humidity: 40–60 %. Ideal temperature: 5–35 °C. Water when the substrate is dry in the top 3–4 cm. Cycas is sensitive to overwatering which causes trunk rot. Reduce significantly in winter.

How often should you water a Sago Palm?

Every 10 days Water when the substrate is dry in the top 3–4 cm. Cycas is sensitive to overwatering which causes trunk rot. Reduce significantly in winter. How to know it needs water : Substrate dry 3–4 cm deep ; Fronds appearing less rigid ; Pot lighter.

How much light does a Sago Palm need?

Full sun Bright to full sun. At least 4–6 hours of direct sunlight daily for healthy growth. Can be moved outdoors in summer. Tolerates partial shade but grows very slowly. 4 to 8 h a day

Is the Sago Palm toxic to cats and dogs?

Yes. Highly toxic to animals and humans. All parts of the plant contain cycasin, a hepatotoxic toxin. Ingestion, even in small amounts, can be fatal to dogs and cats. Extremely dangerous. Keep it out of reach of your pets and call a vet if any is swallowed.

Why are my Sago Palm leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing most often comes from too much water: the mix stays wet and the roots suffocate. Check that the pot drains, empty the saucer, and let the mix dry before watering again. Too little light or a cold draught cause the same symptom.

When should you repot a Sago Palm?

Repot every 36 months, ideally in spring. Very slow-growing, repot rarely. Use a heavy, stable pot. Very well-draining substrate: potting soil, sand, perlite, and gravel. Do not plant the trunk deeper than before. Offsets at the base can be separated for propagation.